the Return of the Prince: A quiet beginning is told
by Ann009
Summary: When Ryoma left for America, Sakuno took inspiration from him and began to pursue a career in tennis. The former members of the tennis club moved on and Tezuka balanced a life in Germany with Seigaku. The return of the Prince sparks confusion and a lot of accidental trips to other countries. Most were Ryoma's fault. Most importantly, this time, will Sakuno get happily ever after?
1. A Concidential Meeting

"Sakuno! Sakuno, wake up!"

"Ergh" Sakuno said groggily, shifting deeper into the bed.

Her grandmother's voice was followed by a piercing shriek.

"RYUSAKI SAKUNO! WE'RE LATE FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, AND IF IT'S YOUR FAULT MY MOM PUNISHES ME, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A BUCKET OF ICE WATER ON YOUR BED!"

That was her rather loud friend Osada Tomoko.

Grumbling, she checked her alarm clock. Her eyes flew open. She was seriously late for school! She dashed out of bed, grabbed some bread, and rushed to the door.

"Sakuno! You forgot your shoes!" her grandmother yelled.

Barely pausing as she shrugged into her school uniform, she grabbed her cherry red tennis racket and moved it behind her, catching her shoes and shoving her feet into them, she flew out the door like a whirlwind, calling back, a "Bye!" and was gone.

"Whew!" her grandmother said. "These days, my granddaughter is amazing. Between tennis practice and her other clubs, she moves so fast, she could put Tezuka to shame!"

~)(~

Charging like a bull, Sakuno raced down the street torwards the train station, Tomoko barely able to keep up with her dust trail. The trains were still at the station when she arrived.

_Whew! It's still open! I can make it!_ She thought, and blew through, dragging Tomoko. At last moment Tomoko resisted, and Sakuno barely made it through the doors.

Tomoko stared at her empty hands in disbelief. "NOOOOO!" she yelled, "Sakuno, that's the wrong train!"

~)(~

Sakuno tugged her hair thoughtfully. Most of it had barely escaped the train doors, and she had spent a couple of embarassing minutes tugging at it. A voice flashed in her head. _Hips too wobbly, hair too long. Bend your knees less._

"You idiot! That isn't the western hand grip, this is!" a tall seventeen-year-old snarled, interupting her thoughts. "Some people mess that up, but not me!"

"Yeah." Another boy sniggered. "Like last year? Sasube, you got taught by that twelve-year-old!"

"You idiot! Don't mention that!" Sasube swung his racket towards him.

Sakuno twitched again. The racket kept passing too close to her face. Besides, it seemed Sasube had gotten his grip wrong again. Either that, or the twelve-year-old that had given Sasube his lesson had got it wrong. Sakuno was inclined to think that it was probably Sasube's natural stupidity.

_Clatter! _The racket fell to the ground. Sasube reached to pick it up.

"There! That's the correct western hand grip. The other grip is the eastern hand grip!" A lean, messy haired youth spoke up suddenly. He had dark, green-tinted hair and golden, feline eyes. He was, as Tomoko would put it, interesting! But Sakuno didn't like guys. There had been one, last year, but between Tomoko and his natural coldness, the answer had been no.

Thinking back to Tomoko, Sakuno wondered why she hadn't gotten on the train as well.

**"Train Four from the International airport to Grand Hotel. We will be arriving in ten minutes."**

_Eh? _Sakuno thought.

"Hey you! Who do you think-" Sasube paled. "You're _him_!"

Sasube's pale complexion changed to anger. "Well, well.."

_..._

The situation for Ryusaki Sakuno had gotten increasingly awkward.

_But then, _she thought, _why does it feel like de ja vu?_


	2. Picked up

_This situation is getting really awkward. What should I do?_

Sakuno's mind ran like crazy, looking for ideas. At last, she chose the simplest, like her grandma said she should.

"Excuse me." she said and brushed past. Both of them looked at her like she had interrupted something important.

"Why are you moving away?" asked the boy.

Sakuno hesitated, wondering if he would be offended. She still told the truth: "Um, you and the gorilla- er, person over there looked like you were going to fight, so I wanted to sneak- I mean, move away- so I wouldn't get involved." She winced, she had added some words that seemed insulting.

But both of them seemed quite astonished. The gorilla- um, seventeen-year-old- seemed about to protest, when the kid started laughing!

"Nice one, Sakuno."

"You know my name?"

He just laughed. For some reason, she also saw tears. But maybe that wasn't real, for when he straightened up, his eyes were dry.

"Aren't you supposed to be at school?"

"U-um, well, are you sure this isn't the bus to Seishun Gakuen?"

He shook his head.

_Great… I skipped the first day of school just like that._

And then he suddenly asked: "Wanna watch me play?"

Sakuno blinked. "Wha-what?"

He smirked. "Here, hold my stuff."

Three tennis rackets and a large duffel bag. Oh, and a suitcase.

"I'm playing at the Grand Hotel tennis courts. You know, the competition? I also have a room there, so drop of my stuff, okay?"

She had wanted to participate the competition, but it was on the first day of school, and only sixteen-year-olds could join, anyway.

_But is it okay to skip school?_

The answer was no, but even though she knew the Grand Hotel, she had no phone to call anyone, and she would just get hopelessly lost trying to walk home or take the train.

Therefore, she chose to follow the still-nameless boy out the train and pray her grandmother would rescue her from this strange situation.

_But it seems as if this boy helped me just so I could hold his bags?_


	3. Crossed Paths

"Um, excuse me, but-"

"There you go. That's my room. Put my stuff inside."

"But… Ow!"

A cat suddenly leaped up at Sakuno from inside the hotel room. It scratched her, growled at her angrily, and then rubbed himself at his owner's feet.

He chuckled as the cat purred.

Offended, Sakuno didn't say a single word as she dropped his bags into his room. He followed her.

"There are Band-Aids over there with the antiseptic. I'll go get them for you."

He helped her bandage herself, then turned to look out the window.

"The matches are about to begin." With that, he suddenly grabbed her tennis racket, swinging it experimentally. "You won't mind if I use your tennis racket, right?"

Sakuno was about to protest, but then she stopped. He smiled at her, one side of his face illuminated by the light from the window, the other in shadow. He suddenly seemed very familiar then, and at the same time, different from anything she had ever known.

"I'll take that as a yes." In a few steps, he reached the door. "Leave my cat here and come with me. Don't you want to see me play?"

She frowned, and then the familiarity faded.

"Alright." She got up and left with him.

~)(~

Watching at the Grand Hotel Tennis Courts was fun, she decided. It was just as luxurious for the audience as well as for the players.

She sighed, and stretched on the bench she sat on, watching the mystery boy play.

He swung her racket in a beautiful serve that aimed towards the opponent. The other player just barely managed to get out of the way.

"Fifteen to love!" the referee called.

He served again. Again, the same punishing serve. This time, his opponent returned it.

_Wait… wasn't that serve just now a Twist serve?_ _No, that's impossible,_ she thought, _the Twist serve is really hard to hit, and the only person my age that could do that would be…_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud screech.

"Sakuno!" her grandmother called, getting out of the car. "Sakuno! How in the world did you end up so far from school?!"

"Ah… Grandma…"

"I barely managed to trace you this far. It was only by luck that I decided to check out this place!"

"Oh… Should I go to school now?"

"No need. School's halfway over anyway. Just remember to be on time tomorrow!"

Her last question surprised her grandmother the most.

"About that freshman regular from last year… Echizen Ryoma… Is he back in Japan yet?"

"No, why do you ask? Nanjiro hasn't told me about them moving back."

_Oh well, _she thought. _It was impossible that he would come back anyway, since I was there when he left, and he told me that he wouldn't come back himself._

But for some reason, this thought just filled her with more empty disappointment.

"No, it's nothing." She said, trying to smile despite the bitterness in her heart.

It was only until she reached home that she realized she had left her tennis racket back at the courts.

~)(~

Echizen Ryoma smiled. But then he approached the empty bench.

_Eh? Where'd my servant go?_


	4. In America

_In America…_

Echizen Nanjiro woke up. Yawning, he stretched.

"Ryoma! Ryoma, where are you! Help me run an errand?" he called lazily.

Grumpily he staggered to Ryoma's bedroom door, knocking on it.

"Ryoma, help me d…"

His words died in his throat. The unlocked bedroom door creaked open at his touch, revealing a perfectly made bed and a note on top of it.

_To my pervy dad._

_I'm leaving. Don't think you can make me do your errands when I return, because I'll be gone for a long time._

_Oh, and I'm bringing Karupin with me._

_Tell Mom not to worry._

_-Ryoma._

"Geez, that Ryoma, always trying to escape helping me…"

He noticed the missing suitcase and tennis rackets.

"Ryoma… DAMN YOU! WHAT AM I GONNA SAY TO RINKO WHEN SHE GETS HOME! THAT HER SON RAN AWAY!"

Nanjiro calmed himself again. "But the most important thing is… WHO IS GOING TO HELP ME WITH MY ERRANDS!"


	5. Forgot Something?

Sakuno smiled happily. The second day of school! This time she woke up early and had prepared everything before hand.

_Lalalal-_

"Ow!" she yelled, surprised.

"This is what you get! I was late and spent half a day looking for you!"

She and Tomoko walked towards the train station together.

"But at least I made it this time, Tomoko-chan!" she decided optimistically.

Yesterday's incident made her feel like she had been taken advantage of (forced to carry the suitcases by a random stalker?), but she decided that it was the new school year, so she had to do her best.

Tomoko sighed. _I need to get my bucket of ice water after school today._

They heard the rumble of the train. Just to be safe, Sakuno checked where the train was headed before getting on.

Tomoko and everyone on the train gave her an odd look.

"Geez, Sakuno, I can't believe you! Didn't attend the first day of school? That is sooo unfair."

"Eheheh, sorry."

Sakuno smiled again. She was so happy to go to school!

Her stomach grumbled.

_Hmm. For some reason I feel like I forgot something very important and my stomach is trying to remind me?_

She brushed away the thoughts in her head to leave it perfectly blank.

_Well... Doesn't matter much anyway..._

~O~

"Sakuno! Why'd you miss the first day of school?"

"Sorry..." she replied vaguely.

_Forgot something, forgot something,_ her brain screamed at her.

"Sorry..."

"Why Ryusaki-san is acting weird today?"

~O~

Sakuno breezed past the classroom door. It was nearly lunchtime. For some reason, today, it felt as if she couldn't feel anything in her body.

She was like the wind... And was being pushed by the AC in the hall until she leaned against the classroom door, unable to fight back.

_This is really bad... I think I know what I forgot..._

_**Click.**_

_The door opened?... _She thought hazily.

She slammed into the person behind the door _hard_.

_This person looks familiar... _she thought.

~O~

"Hey, are you Sakuno-chan's or something?" the school nurse asked the boy that picked her up.

"Nope. She just fainted in front of me, that's all." a black haired kid with feline pupils responded.

"Well... That kind of makes you her friend right?" the nurse smiled uneasily, "Please take care of her for me. I have to go get something. If she wakes up, tell Sakuno-chan she should eat if she wants to join the tennis club... Thanks!"

The nurse practically backed into the door, leaving the two of them together.

"Wait! I never agreed." The kid paused for a moment, then sighed. "Oh, well... Take care of her?"

He looked at the door for a moment. "...The tennis club?"

~O~

The nurse smiled as certain thoughts ran through her head. She walked briskly away from the infirmary, feeling as if she'd done Sakuno-chan a great justice.

She headed towards a vending machine and noticed someone by it.

"Oh! If it isn't the tennis club coach! I just saw someone very interesting today..."

* * *

HI! This is the author. I haven't been updating for very long, so I hope people can forgive me if the style of this story changes.

Also, I noticed that very few people have 'favorited' this. PLEASE HAVE SOME CONSIDERATION FOR MY FEELINGS!

And I have a question for everyone that reads this! What was the nurse-san thinking as she ran away from possible scene of crime?


	6. The New Guy

There were two people holding her hands. That was what she was first aware of. The second was the blinding pain in her stomach.

Sakuno opened her eyes. Blurry figures moved around in her vision. She heard the sound of a door closing.

"Sakuno! You're awake!" Tomoko shook Sakuno's right hand so hard she felt as if she was going to faint again.

"Sakuno-chan~" The nurse smiled playfully. "You really shouldn't do that... To yourself or the prince~"

_Prince?_ Sakuno felt more confused than the time when she had accidentally boarded a train to a random place and this guy had picked her up to be his servant.

"That's right!" Tomoko shot straight up. "That hot guy that brought you here! Do you know him?! He's... _Cool~_"

Sakuno stared at her blankly.

The nurse coughed. "I believe he's be a transfer student..." She smiled secretively.

"Awesome! I think I'll form a fan club!"

Sakuno groaned. Then she gasped. "What time is it!"

"You've been out for two hours, Miss Sakuno." The nurse smiled.

Sakuno looked horrified. "Tennis!" Without another thought, she jumped out of her bed, prepared to rush there. She fell instead.

"Whoa! Take it easy, Sakuno." Tomoko yelped. "You still haven't eaten!"

"But! But! Tennis!" Sakuno made another futile attempt to the door.

"Oops~" The nurse smiled. "Sorry, got it wrong, only one hour."

Sakuno collapsed back on the bed, relieved. Tomoko glared at the nurse.

"Sakuno, you should eat." Tomoko gave Sakuno her lunch. "And sorry, but I gotta go!" She left.

Sakuno dutifully began to eat.

The nurse dutifully began her interrogation.

"Sakuno, sweetheart..."

"Hmnm."

"Why didn't you eat today?"

"Hmmhmmhnm."

"Okay. Then do you feel well?"

"Mmmnhnnm."

"No dizziness? Nothing?"

"Mmh."

"And one last question..."

"Hm?"

"Who was the person that brought you here?"

At that, Sakuno looked up and swallowed her food. "A new transfer student?" She guessed.

The nurse smiled warmly. "I guess so..."

* * *

Sakuno wobbled out of the room, feeling fat. _Too much food..._

She stumbled past several people, very nearly having collisions, but out of sheer luck, missed. Too bad luck didn't last forever.

"Gyaah!" A monkey-like boy ran straight into her. Sakuno was sent flying towards the wall at the impact. _Bam! _She wobbled, then collapsed.

"Oi!" The monkey boy that fell on his bottom instead of receiving a concussion was Satoshi Horio. "Geez, Sakuno, what the heck's wrong with you?!"

Sakuno's eyes got big and watery. Not because of him, though, but because of the pain of a concussion.

"O-okay! Fine!" Horio got up quickly and ran off.

"Sorry Monkey!" Sakuno blurted out. "Huh? Monkey... Horio isn't here?"

* * *

Sakuno managed to make it to the classroom without any further mishaps, and was greeted by a sobbing Tomoko.

"Waah! The cool guy isn't here! Waah!"

"Uhh..."

"Waah! If he's in another class, I can't start a fan club!"

"Umm..."

"Sakuno! You should also be sad!"

"But..."

"But what?"

"...He's here..."

"WOAH!" Tomoko jumped straight up.

_"Hi. I'm the new transfer student. I wasn't here earlier because I was skipping..."_

"He was skipping?" Tomoko whispered theatrically. She gave Sakuno a wink.

Sakuno just stared at the new student, a glasses wearing dark-haired guy. Her mouth turned down in a funny wriggle. She bit her lip, thinking hard.

"Sakuno... Sakuno!" Tomoko called her.

"...Huh? Oh!"

"HE was the guy that brought you to the nurse's!" Tomoko said excitedly.

Sakuno frowned. _THAT guy? He looks familiar... _She gasped and gaped at him as recognition bloomed in her mind.

* * *

Other students chatted around him, asking about him, talking, laughing. They left and went constantly. But he noticed when _she _came.

Auburn hair. Wide eyes that was staring at him, a spark of recognition in there. He hoped.

"You..." she said.

_... Me._

* * *

**_Alalalalala! I really shoulda updated sooner, sorry._**


End file.
